Cold Flame
by Frecklefreak
Summary: The Fire Nation left more than scars and bodies behind when they raided. As such Sukka older sister to Katara, is born a firebender. When the Avatar awakens, Sukka must come to terms with who she is in order to help the Avatar bring an end to the hundred year war.
1. Chapter 1 - Changes

Sukka knew when she saw that flare shoot overhead, that her life was about to change. She had this realization a moment before rage tore through her, but smothered her anger quickly – always so quickly - to smoulder beneath her skin. Flares didn't just set themselves off, and there was only two people not in the village at the moment.

'_I'm going to kill Katara. Not to mention that air kid.'_ Sukka had known he was trouble. _'Spirits, why hadn't I done something about it when I'd had the chance?'_

Dread coiled low in her stomach when she turned to look around her. Sukka hadn't been the only one too stop and watch the flare, the whole village seemed frozen as they stared up, looks of horror etched onto their faces. It was only the fact that it was clearly inland that stopped an outright panic, though that didn't diminish the anger over the fact that it had basically given away the villages' location. The women knew what this could mean. So did Sukka. She looked up again, and with a mix of fear and fury prayed that they would be the only people too have seen the old war signal.

The villagers returned to their normal routines, there wasn't anything to do even if they wanted too. Nowhere and no way to run – not with the village made up of the elderly and young, who couldn't travel anywhere in any reasonable amount of time. Or without a way to transport supplies so that they wouldn't starve and freeze. Tension hovered in the air, it was easy to spot the anxious glances thrown towards the sea, and the relieved ones every time Sukka climbed the wall next to the now useless watchtower, (courtesy of that_ brat_) and came back down with nothing to report.

If (though Sukka felt it was more a case of when) the Fire Nation came they would be defenceless. Sukka was the only warrior here and she knew to call herself that was a joke; a half trained girl that hadn't had a real teacher in three years wouldn't be able to slow down one real soldier let alone a number of them. Not that it would stop Sukka from trying anyway – she would gladly fight and die for her family and home, as any good tribe member should.

Family. That was what really troubled Sukka; the thought of what would happen to Katara. Really it was her and Sukka who would be in the worst positions if (when) someone did come. Being a bender and not from the Fire Nation was as good as a death sentence. This was probably why Sukka had worked herself into a state of worried fuelled fury, by the time she finally spotted the two figures heading towards them in the distance.

Fuming to herself Sukka waited at the village edge, fur lined boots tapping in the snow. She could feel the other villagers crowd behind her as they drifted closer to watch. Gran-Gran stood only a few steps back from her as Aang and Katara trudged into town, Katara dragging her feet. Katara knew what she had done was wrong, but Sukka knew her little sister well enough to know she didn't appreciate having her mistakes pointed out. She especially wouldn't appreciate it in front of her new little friend. Katara would fight Sukka on this, knowing full well that she was in the wrong.

'_Let her',_ Sukka thought grimly. In Sukka's eyes there was little short of imminent death that would justify what they had done.

The children Aang had played with went to rush forward, but a sharp word from Sukka stopped them. She could feel the scowl on her face as they both finally stopped in front of her.

Her voice rang out like a whip. "What were you thinking?! Katara you know going anywhere near that ship is forbidden! So why did you?!"

Katara stiffens in response and the dribble that then pours from her sisters' mouth makes Sukka want to jump up and down and shake Katara until she sees sense!

"Bravery!" Sukka shouts. "That isn't an excuse Katara! You broke tribe law on some childish test of courage! You were told not to and you did it anyway, knowing the danger!"

Aang takes this moment to step in and try and take the blame. Not that Sukka didn't already blame him. But it's the ease that he explains and his large guileless eyes, that shows her Aang is not a child raised in war. He doesn't realize what he's done. Sukka hadn't believed him when he claimed ignorance of the Hundred Year War, after all how could someone not know? But she's starting too believe him now.

It still doesn't stop Sukka continuing when Aang finishes. "The traitor confesses! Get away from him Katara, he might be a Fire Nation spy!"

'No he isn't!'

Sukka silently agreed, but didn't change her stance. Going against what was basically an unspoken tribe law, endangering everyone – doing it unknowingly wasn't an excuse, and really she faulted Katara for this more than Aang. Katara knew full well what the consequences could be and he so clearly didn't.

'_Was our mother's death already so faded from her memory?' _The thought whispers through Sukka's mind. It makes her next words sharp.

"Katara get away from him now!"

"No!" Katara straightens up. "Sukka can't you see…"

'_I can see the start of a speech', _she snarks to herself.

"…that Aang has given us something that we haven't had in a long time," here Katara pauses dramatically, "Fun."

It's a close thing but Sukka valiantly fights the urge to slap her own forehead. When she speaks it's practical a growl.

"We can't fight firebenders with fun!" The 'you idiot' goes unspoken.

"You should try it sometime," Aang pipes up.

The flippant response has Sukka seeing red, but she's quick to reign in her temper, the central fire a bright spot in the back of her mind. If Sukka hadn't braced herself she's convinced something would have went up in flames. Probably something bald and tattooed.

It helps her cement the decision she'd already made. Living in such a harsh place everyone has to work together for the good of the group. There was no tolerance for those who didn't contribute or those who posed a threat – unknowingly or not. Aang couldn't stay. And without further delay Sukka announced his banishment.

Katara eyes watered even as the rest of her face tightened in anger. Before Sukka's eyes Katara grabbed a yellow clad arm and tugged the boy away; choosing someone she'd known less than two days, over the people she'd known her whole life.

A sharp whistle from Aang and that enormous snot-monster appeared, actually flying this time. In a few second both children had clambered up into the saddle and were airborne, even as Sukka got over Kataras' betrayal and the 'oh Spirits that thing really can fly' shock too race after them. She screamed and threatened, cursed and pleaded until they were but a speck in the sky.

Sukka stood watching until even that speck was gone, before walking back to where the rest of the village hovered about, disbelieving that someone could do what her foolish little sister just did.

'_It wasn't that Katara had chosen a stranger over them'_, Sukka acknowledged dazedly. _'It was waterbending that Katara had valued more than her tribe. Aang was just her means to it.'_

That didn't make it hurt any less. Sukka understood what Katara went through. She felt the draw of her own element just as keenly. She'd never admit it though. After all, no one would think anything against Katara talking on about waterbending, but if Sukka was to do the same with her firebending…well she could understand why the villagers wouldn't take it so well. Even if the flames frightened her more than she cared to admit, they would frighten the others more. After all Sukka still possessed the potential to be dangerous.

She'd give anything too trade her potential for destruction for the potential that Katara had to create and be useful. So yes Sukka understood, but that didn't make Katara's choice right. Not by a long shot. Especially not for someone of Katara's standing – of the chiefs' daughter and heir.

With that thought Sukka cursed Katara again as she took in the hard faces around her. In a place where your life depended on working together as one, trust was everything. Katara had just broken that trust, and those here today would not soon forget it. Katara would be lucky to be accepted among them again let alone be recognized as chief. And didn't that open a whole new kettle of fish. Though Sukka felt guilty thinking about it, when technically her little sister was missing.

Sukka would never be able to inherit – as a bastard firebender who was the result of rape, she would never be accepted as leader. Though Hakoda claimed her as his firstborn and treated her like his own in every way, she wasn't his by blood. It had always been assumed that Katara would inherit, but this might as well as just dropped a herd of tiger-seals in the way. At fourteen Katara was considered an adult. A young one, yes, but an adult none the less. She would not receive the leeway a child would.

It was a problem that had Sukka going round in circles. What she really wanted to do was go out in the middle of nowhere, where it wouldn't matter if she accidently bended, and scream and shout so she didn't have to keep feeling this way. But she didn't have that luxury. Instead Sukka helped Gran-Gran back to their igloo and went about her chores, her eyes constantly scanning the skies.

If that hairy thing still couldn't fly Katara wouldn't have even made it two steps before reconsidering. As it was now she'd be back. Katara was loyal – though apparently not as much as Sukka would like her to be – but there was no way she'd make it all the way to the North Pole without feeling guilty and coming home. Since Katara had committed to 'running away' when she hopped on the magic flying bison, _'and how had Katara thought that was a good idea?' _it would probably take her a day or so before she cooled down and came back.

'_She wouldn't just leave me and Gran-Gran like that'_, Sukka was sure of that and stubbornly ignored the part of her that reminded her that before today she was sure Katara wouldn't have done what she just did either.

The sun was setting and there was still no sign of Katara or any Fire Nation ships. Sukka could see the tentative hope, that there wouldn't be any, start to grow on the faces of the villagers. She wished she could believe the same, but her sinking stomach was telling her otherwise. And below that the horrible feeling that was slowing drowning her, that no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she fought against it, change was coming.

The next morning when Sukka woke, Katara was still gone and there was grey ash in the snow.


	2. Chapter 2 - Singed

Thanks to everyone who has already followed or favourited! Since I didn't do one for the first chapter I'd thought I'd put an author's note here. Don't worry I won't do many, I know they get skipped a lot anyway. So in case you haven't already realized, this is a fanfic where Sokka is a girl and a firebender. Events won't always follow the original timeline. There's a few fics already out with the same premises and I just loved the concept. It is meant to be from an older viewpoint with more mature themes. On that note the rating might go up as the story progresses. Sukka is the default point of view so I'll make it clear when it changes. And I hope to update once a week at least. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Ownership of Avatar? Would be nice but no.

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><p>The grey ash set everything in motion. The morning was filled with drawn faces and hurried preparations. Emergency packs were made and left within easy reach should they need to flee. Sukka and some of the younger mothers cleared the path to the edge of the village to make running easier. The whole time everyone wore faces of grim acceptance, knowing there was nothing to do to stop the confrontation, but only hoping they might survive it.<p>

Sukka wished with everything she had that her father was here. She felt like a fake. As an almost sixteen year old girl, Sukka knew that she looked more like she was playing dress up than like the warrior she was supposed to be. She took a moment to be fiercely glad of the war paint that helped hide her more feminine features and made her look more the part. Though that might be wishful thinking. Being tall for her age probably meant that at best she looked like a young boy.

There was a smudge on the horizon and it wasn't the one that would carry back her apologizing sister. Pushing down the fear that threatened to rise, Sukka palmed her spear and rolled her shoulders against the familiar weight of her boomerang. Panicking wouldn't help; as the only (sort-of) warrior present and the chief's daughter it was expected of her too stand firm.

Still, watching the Fire Nation ship get closer Sukka took a moment to be grateful that Katara wasn't in the village - even if that did mean her little sister was inconsiderate and irresponsible. Sukka could live with that, and more importantly so could Katara.

If it came down to it Katara would have fought. She would have exposed herself as a waterbender and been killed for it. At least this way she was safe, assuming that the reason she wasn't back yet was that she was still cooling down and not because of some other disaster happening.

On that note, Sukka turned her full attention back to the ship, waiting for it too slow down. It became apparent that wasn't going to happen _when the ship went right through the ice_. Yelping, Sukka threw herself backwards, rolling with her momentum and jumped upright, only to rush forward and snatch up one of the boys from breaking ice, as the ship crashed through their wall and finally came to a stop.

_'I hope they damaged their hull against all that ice. Idiots.'_

She passed the child back to his mother as the tribe gather around the igloos. Sukka standing in front of them to meet the invaders, struggling to decide what to do. There was no love lost between the Southern Water tribe and the Fire Nation and pretending otherwise would be stupid; Sukka doubted she could grovel to them even if she wanted too. On the other hand starting a fight wasn't going to get them anywhere but killed faster.

A metal ramp came down from the ship and Sukka felt her heart leap into the back of her throat. First to come down was a young man, maybe three or so years older than herself. He was quickly followed by four soldiers who wore the standard face masks obscuring any detail she might hope to use. They all stood taller than the first but seemed deferential to him, following as they were. He was probably in charge, and being so young, someone important.

_'As if this couldn't get any worse.'_

Standing her ground Sukka got her first good look at the man when they came closer. She felt her eyes widen at the severe burn that covered his left eye and a good portion of the surrounding face, which Sukka could make out despite the helmet.

She had been told enough by the men of her tribe to know just how violent a flame had to be to leave a mark like that. She started to wonder how it happened but shook herself from the useless musings. Distracting herself wouldn't make the men magically disappear. Though it would be nice.

Bracing herself Sukka spoke. "I speak for Chief Hakoda. What business does the Fire Nation have with our village, which warranted knocking down our wall?" She spoke evenly, relieved she sounded so much calmer than she felt.

His voice surprised her when he spoke, it was lower than she expected. The rudeness however wasn't shocking in the slightest. "Where is the Avatar?"

Sukka had been prepared for a lot of things. This wasn't one of them.

"The Avatar?" she questioned. He was looking straight at her and didn't seem pleased with her response.

"I know this village is hiding him! Give him too me and no one will be hurt." Sukka can practically see the see the steam rising off of him. He goes to move past her but Sukka quickly cuts him off, noting from the corners of her eyes how the other soldiers shift. The man doesn't seemed bothered, giving a derisive huff, before pointing instead.

He looks straight at Gran-Gran as he points and raises his voice for the whole tribe to hear. "He'd be about that old, master of all four elements, and an air nomad."

At the last descriptor her mind jumps to Aang. But that's stupid, he's just a boy. _'A boy who didn't know about the war. Who didn't know the airbenders were gone.'_ And a boy her little sister was most likely with at the moment. Her stomach sank. She wasn't the only one to connect the dots, she could feel the tribe shifting as one behind her, and hoped no one said anything. The women wouldn't talk but the kids might. _'And Gran-Gran doesn't look one hundred years old. Jerk.'_

"There is no one like that here." That was the truth.

"You're lying!"

Sukka feels her temper spike at that, and let defensive hostility override her fear and good sense. Her next words are scathing, "Oh yes, how could I forget, we must have misplaced him in our abundance of men, it's a good thing we keep our Avatar with our dragons and other legendary contraband, or else we might lose him."

As soon as she has said it she wishes she hadn't. Sukka can see the exact moment her words register and rage ignites.

_'Now is not the time to show off how witty I am! Not unless I fancied a fist full of flames to go along with my applause.'_ Which might be likely seeing how the man was advancing.

"Stop lying!" He's right in her face, and Sukka notices his eyes for the first time. They're gold. She's never seen eyes like that before. And then he breaks the illusion of pretty eyes by yelling again, "Don't play games, tell me where he is!"

Sukka leans back in the face of his anger and it's enough to set him off, his arm snapping forward to grab the front of her coat. He obviously didn't grab the part he intended and probably doesn't even realize that he is just about _groping_ her with how thick the furs are. Still it's sufficient in panicking her enough that Sukka reflexively brings her spear up, breaking his hold and knocking him back at the same time.

Not her wisest move Sukka is quick to admit. She should have put up with the almost groping. It was just a power play, he'd wanted to show her he was in charge. Now it looked like he wanted to show her his fist, if how quickly he was moving it towards her face was any indication.

Sukka dropped down and away from the punch, sweeping her legs out to try and knock the firebender over. He went down but was quick to roll up and onto his feet, coming up bending. And he was _fast_. Forget getting a hit in, it was all Sukka could do to dodge. She knew her furs were singed and didn't hold much hope for her eyebrows, only glad her hair was tied behind her head. The flames roared past her, too close for comfort. At one point she instinctively went to push the flames away, but caught herself in time. She'd had years of practice repressing those instincts after all. That didn't mean she didn't have to compensate for the hesitation, blocking his sideswipe with her forearm and repressing a wince from the impact. Her arms were going to be black and blue. The armour was heavy and he was strong, her furs in turn did little to protect her from the hits she was forced to block, unable to dodge before she could dance in and out of his reach again, not letting him get a hold of her.

Sukka didn't think he was trying to do serious damage - trying to subdue her seemed to be his aim. She doubted if she could stop him if he really wanted to do damage; even if she did firebend, novice that she was it wouldn't be any help. But the dodging bought her time that allowed her to plan, which was where Sukka excelled. The bender moved like lightening, barely giving her a moment to react and make her next move, but beyond that Sukka was waiting. Watching for that tiny something that would spark a crazy and ridiculous idea that just might work.

Then came a sound that cut through all of that. The women were screaming. It's a split second but the bender she'd been fighting is distracted too, eyes flicking to the sound. That's all Sukka needs. Her leg flicks out and hooks behind his ankle, sending him sprawling back in the snow. In the same motion Sukka turns, seeing just what she expected to see; a fire nation solider advancing on the tribeswomen. It's natural for Sukka to draw her boomerang – as the only weapon that needs less instruction than practice, it is the one she's best with. After years of hunting and knowing how to hit an object from every possible angle she barely has to focus on the target, adjusting for the wind is just as instinctive, something she knows to do without thought. It's one smooth motion from drawing her boomerang to pulling back her arm and letting it fly.

Sukka doesn't watch to see if she hit her target, twisting to face the enemy she'd left at her back. Though she was quick she wasn't quick enough. This time it's her legs that get knocked out, with an angry firebender bearing down on her. He swiftly forced her arm behind her back as she knelt in the snow, making her drop the spear she'd held onto.

So Sukka gets to watch her boomerang come sailing in and clobber the advancing soldier across the head with a satisfy 'thunk'. Almost as satisfying as watching him immediately keel over as two soldiers ran to help, the last one standing beside the scarred leader who was holding her down. The verdict seems to be that the one on the ground is out cold. If he hadn't been wearing the helmet he'd be dead right now. As it is Sukka is fairly confident he isn't going to be walking in a straight line anytime soon.

As if he can read her thoughts the leader tightens his hold on her and Sukka remembers just what a bad situation the tribe is in right now. One downed soldier does not a crisis fix. Especially when there was still four standing and a whole ship full just behind those. Sukka didn't want to look and see the disappointment on the faces of those she was meant to be protecting.

The firebender holding her spoke then, "Tell me where the Avatar is now, unless you want this village burnt to the ground!" He's practically roaring by the end of it and Sukkas' mind is working a mile a minute. She had to get them to leave and the easiest solution is to give him what he wanted. They didn't have an Avatar though and even if they did Sukka doubted they'd hand over the one person whose return was prophesied to bring peace across the nations. That left her with one choice, one who was likely the Avatar anyway. Aang. Who her little sister was with. Everything in her rebelled against letting them know anything that might involve Katara, but she didn't have to tell them everything. Just enough to satisfy them and get them to leave. After all Katara would still come back and it would be Aang who brought her back. The fire nation couldn't be here when that happened.

In the end it was the leader commanding the two soldiers forward (the other taking the injured back to the ship), that jerked Sukka back in motion.

"Wait!" She yelled, before they'd even gone three steps. "I know what you want to know!" And then she's heaved off her feet and is being held in front of the leader, his hands digging into the tops of her arms.

His gold eyes are blazing. "The Avatar? Where…"

"I don't know anything about the Avatar!" Sukka cuts him off quickly and continues before he can blow up again, "But there was an airbender."

She can see from the corner of her eyes how the soldiers' heads swivel around at that revelation. They hadn't expected to find anything. Not really. The one in front of her narrows his eyes, the scarred skin making the expression look far more severe on one side of his face.

"Explain." His voice is like steel.

Sukka hates the commanding tone, but decides discretion is the better part of valour and chooses her words carefully. "We found him in the ice fields, a boy…"

"Boy? The Avatar would be over a hundred years old…"

"I told you that we didn't know anything about the Avatar! There was a boy, twelve maybe, he was an airbender…"

"How do you know?"

The look Sukka gives him implies that he's an idiot. "He was wearing some weird orange and yellow outfit, bald head, tattooed. Oh and you know, there was that whole being able to fly and shot air from his hands thing. But maybe I'm wrong, I mean that could be practically anything."

He isn't impressed with her sass. "Where. Is. He. Now?"

And here was the hard sell. She either got them to leave or they burnt the place down. "He stayed for one night and he left the next day."

"What do you mean he left?!"

"The brat set off the old Fire Nation ship! Of course we told him to get out! For we all knew he was a spy!"

"An airbender spy! You expect me to believe that?!"

"You don't think Sozin couldn't have squirreled some away when he was supposedly killing them all?"

It doesn't look like he had thought of that and Sukka mentally pats herself on the back for coming up with such a plausible explanation.

His next words put a quick stop to that though. "Search the village. Bring anyone who resists to me."

"Wait, what?" But the firebenders are already gone. And Sukka is having a hard time twisting around to watch with the leader still holding one of her shoulders. "What are you doing? I'm telling you!" Sukka can already hear the sounds of things breaking, so long as it's only things they break the village can handle it.

"Just checking you're not lying. What was that you said about legendary contraband?"

"I was joking!"

"Apparently not enough since you really did have an airbender here."

She scowls at nothing, listening to the sound of the women muttering anxiously and watching them huddle together. At the sound of something large shattering she turns to her captor.

"What, they expect to find him in our spice jars?" She only gets a glare for that. "I hope our dragons eat you." That gets her a little shake.

The firebenders come back empty handed, much too their leaders' frustration.

He turns to her again. "You say he left? Where was he going?"

"North." That is the most singularly unhelpful thing she can say. Being in the South Pole anywhere to go was North.

He evidently catches the slight, by the way his scowl deepens. "Where. Did. He. Go?!"

"He didn't tell us!"

The man sneers at her for that and pushes her back to the other soldiers, who are quick to grab her arms. The leader then stalks backwards and forwards pacing. He looks angry and dangerous and Sukka wonders if this is where things are about to go belly up.

He stops. "Back to the ship, if he really left a day ago we might be able to find his trail."

Sukka just about slumps in relief. Until his next words freeze her.

"We're taking that one with us." He's looking at her.

"Why! I told you…"

"I don't think you are telling us everything you know. We can't afford to waste time here. If you cooperate you won't be harmed." 'But you could be' he leaves hanging unsaid.

Sukka heart is beating to fast. She looks past the firebenders to her village. Things are broken and scattered, but they can be fixed easily enough. No one is hurt yet. No one is dead. To have a raid where only one girl was taken, with no injuries and only superficial damage would be a blessing. The longer the Fire Nation lingered the bigger the risk was that this would change. Also that Aang and Katara might come back and be caught.

"If I go with you, you'll leave the others alone?"

Surprise crosses his face for an instant before he's frowning again. "Yes."

"Then I'll go with you." Sukka says it like she had a choice.

A horrible wail rises up at that. Gran-Gran. Sukka feels her heart break at the sound of her grandmother crying for her as they start dragging her towards the ship. Sukka has to concentrate on moving her legs. She feels numb. She had said that she would fight and die for her village, and tells herself that this was a small price to pay in comparison, even as she pushes down her fear.

They are on the ramp now and there are more voices rising to join Gran-Grans'. By the time the ramp swings shut behind them the whole village is crying for her. Sukka has never felt more a part of her home now that she is being taken away from it. Never more loved by her people. She turns trying to get one last look at her home before it fades from sight and she has to face that she might not live to see it again.

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><p>Reviews are love!<p> 


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